"I'm discovering how powerful storytelling can be for my business, but I want to learn more. What books should I read?"

I've been hearing these questions more and more. The challenge with recommending books always comes back to a question of my own, "What do you want to know about story? The science, the structure, what stories to tell, how to tell a great story, how to use them in your business, etc?" The study and practice of story is a science, art, craft, and passion. Just like if I asked my favorite musician to recommend the best books on music, I'm sure they'd have a list of their own questions and a laundry list of books to recommend.

It’s the year 2017 — social media sites are competing for attention, and even the powerful and highly-regarded use blogging sites like Medium. With that in mind, does the average user need a personal website? Who are You, and What do You Want? Usually I see people put together personal websites to advertise themselves as …
Via Andy Bull

My thought: social media and platforms such as Medium are essential means for journalists to build and buttress their personal brand, but you still need a personal website, using your name in the URL, to present yourself fully, and to cement your identity online.

Robert McKee, has taught creative writing for 30 years. His seminars have attracted more than 60 Oscar winners, but are treated with suspicion by many novelists – including Tim Lott. Can he be won over?

Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a professional videographer, buy a ton of the right gear, or even look perfect on camera! Okay, while all that can certainly help(!), you can also augment your video content production by using the right tools. Look no further than Adobe Spark Video – it’s free.

I’ve been a big fan of Adobe Spark since it started rolling out in beta last year. This desktop and iOS 3-in-1 app allows you to easily create stunning GRAPHICS (even add animated effects on iOS), compelling VIDEO, and web PAGES.

Now, as from today, Adobe just announced that Spark Video now supports video clips to help you engage, motivate, and inspire your audience....

I have over 25 years of video production experience, and all of the hardware and software tools needed for high end production. But Adobe Spark Video, and an iPhone, might just be my answer for fast-turnaround deployment of a large number of small social-media-ready videos. I must check this out more. Great article.

Top Netflix execs are not buying the clamour for virtual reality experiences.

In an interview with VentureBeat, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said fully immersive content is not compatible with the streaming service’s binge-watching model.

With VR, “you’re exhausted after 20 minutes,” he said. “We are more focused on a lean-back, relaxing experience.”

“I can’t imagine putting on a VR headset while sitting on the couch with my wife for two hours and just disappearing,” added Netflix’s chief content officer, Ted Sarandos.

Netflix also echoed a common view that quality VR content is scarce. “The problem with VR is that there’s not enough people on the platform to support the investment in that kind of content,” said Sarandos.

Hastings predicted VR would be “huge for the video game market”, but would not begin having an effect on the on-demand market “for the next couple of years”.

The power of Apple's ARKit isn't because it's "mundane"--it's because it is enabling AR to be USEFUL and relevant. Applications that are amazing are only amazing once. Game-changers satisfy a need that wasn't easy to do before--when technology can fill a gap where reality falls short.

The Flipped Learning Global Initiative has designated the new era and paradigm Flipped Learning 3.0. FLGI is has launched a series of webinars to introduce flipped learning stakeholders to Flipped Learning 3.0. The online sessions will discuss the practical implications for teachers, administrators, tech coaches, flipped learning trainers, consultants, researchers, technology developers and education policy makers. Each session will host Flipped Learning 3.0 innovators with experience in each of the five factors driving the paradigm shift in flipped learning. Each webinar will offer practical steps you can take to be prepared for the future of flipped learning.

Eight new vending machines have popped up in the public spaces of Grenoble, France. The vending machines sit near the Alpine city’s town hall, the tourist office, and the libraries, but Grenoble hasn’t suddenly developed a taste for Lay’s potato chips and Snickers bars—these vending machines dispense short stories.

It's the beginning of a new year, and time for some fun! Here's a quick post on a storytelling vending machine in France. Waiting in line? Push a button and get your 1, 2, or 3 minute story (your choice) to read -- FREE!

Looking forward to this making it over here to the US soon. Don't you wish we had it now? Thanks to storyteller Connie Reagan Blake for sharing about this in her recent newsletter.

AT&T* plans to acquire Quickplay Media, Inc., a leader in powering over-the-top (OTT) video and TV Everywhere services, from Madison Dearborn Partners. The acquisition builds on the companies’ existing relationship. Quickplay’s platform currently supports AT&T’s U-verse TV Everywhere offering and will support the streaming offers — DIRECTV Now, DIRECTV Mobile and DIRECTV Preview — that AT&T plans to introduce later this year. These new plans will let viewers stream DIRECTV content over the Internet to virtually any device. “Our strategy is to deliver video content however, whenever and wherever,” said John Stankey, CEO, AT&T Entertainment Group. “Quickplay’s multitenant IP distribution infrastructure, combined with AT&T’s leading scale in IP connected end points, will allow us to host and distribute all forms of video traffic. We intend to scale and operate an industry-leading video distribution platform, and viewers will get the high-quality online video viewing experience they desire.” “We’ve spent more than a decade developing an advanced technology and service platform that can deliver premium video content to any device and over any network. Our solution is highly automated and scalable. With AT&T, we’ll have the resources we need to further scale, grow the business, and continuously enhance that platform,” said Wayne Purboo, founder and CEO, Quickplay. “Our team is proud of what we’ve built so far and excited to join the AT&T family. This combination will help us power the next generation of video services.” AT&T plans to retain Quickplay’s more than 350 employees and contractors. “Quickplay’s talented team of people is critical to our success,” Stankey said. “Their knowledge and skills are a key part of executing our video strategy.” AT&T plans for Quickplay to maintain its high level of service and continue to support and expand its global customer base, grow its managed platform services and continue to enable other companies — from video providers to content distributors — to deliver premium video to any device and over any network. The transaction is subject to pre-merger review under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act in the U.S. and the Competition Act in Canada and to other customary filings and approvals. AT&T and Quickplay expect to close the deal in mid-2016. The companies did not disclose financial terms.

Amazon, which touts itself as Earth’s biggest store, has officially launched its bid to be the place to watch any kind of video under the sun.

With the launch of Amazon Video Direct, open to any video creator, the e-commerce giant will compete head-to-head with Google’s YouTube for video-ad dollars and views as well as other big Internet video distributors like Facebook and Vimeo.

Partners participating in Amazon Video Direct have four distribution options. They can make their content available to Prime Video subscribers and receive a per-hour royalty fee; it can be sold as an add-on subscription through the Streaming Partners Program; it can be offered for digital rental or purchase; or it can be made available to all Amazon customers for free with ads, and creators will receive a 55% share of the ad revenue (the same as YouTube).

Amazon will pay partners 50% of the retail price for digital purchases, rentals and subscription fees. If they choose Prime Video distribution, creators will earn royalties of 15 cents per hour streamed in the U.S. and 6 cents in other territories (capped at $75,000 per year) under the standard terms.

Amazon also is launching the “AVD Stars” program, a bonus pool of $1 million per month to reward top-performing video creators and give them an incentive to add their content to Prime Video. The company will dole out a monthly bonus from $1 million fund, based on the top 100 Amazon Video Direct titles in Prime Video, on top of the revenue partners have earned. The AVD Stars fund is eligible to providers who stream content starting on June 1.

“There are more options for distribution than ever before and with Amazon Video Direct, for the first time, there’s a self-service option for video providers to get their content into a premium streaming subscription service,” Amazon Video VP Jim Freeman said in announcing the program. “We’re excited to make it even easier for content creators to find an audience, and for that audience to find great content.”

The move comes after Amazon introduced the option to subscribe to Prime Video for $8.99 per month in the U.S. as a standalone service; previously, it was available only through the Prime $99-per-year membership program.

Among Amazon’s initial batch of AVD partners, Samuel Goldwyn Films president Peter Goldwyn extolled the new range of distribution options. “With Amazon Video Direct, we have the control to create the unique distribution strategies that reflect the changing ways in which our audiences discover our films,” he said.

StyleHaul, the fashion video network that has built its business on YouTube, said it will bring a selection of its original series to Prime Video, including fashion drama “Vanity” starring Denise Richards. “We believe Amazon Prime members will enjoy the unique female voices featured in our content and be inspired by the fashion and beauty that our brand embodies,” said Mia Goldwyn, chief content officer of StyleHaul.

Video publishers can sign up for Amazon Video Direct at videodirect.amazon.com. The Prime Video streaming service is currently available only in the U.S., the U.K., Germany, Austria and Japan.

Amazon said AVD’s benefits include support for all the devices Amazon Video is available on, including iOS and Android tablets and phones, connected TVs, Amazon Fire TV devices and game consoles. The company also said it will provide detailed performance metrics, such as number of minutes a title was streamed, projected revenue, payment history and number of subscribers, and that video partners will have full control to make changes based on the data.

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Creating engaging newsletters with your curated content is really easy.